Research Assistant - Dept. of Health Policy

at  Virginia Commonwealth University

VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, AFFIRMATIVE ACTION UNIVERSITY PROVIDING ACCESS TO EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT WITHOUT REGARD TO RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, NATIONAL ORIGIN, AGE, SEX, POLITICAL AFFILIATION, VETERAN STATUS, GENETIC INFORMATION, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY, GENDER EXPRESSION, OR DISABILITY.

The Department of Health Policy is seeking a Research Assistant in support of research activities under the supervision of a faculty member, Dr. Morgan Snell.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master’s of Public Health, Health Administration, or equivalent experience
• Knowledge of and experience with qualitative research methods
• Knowledge of software for analyzing qualitative data
• Knowledge of statistical software for analyzing survey data
• Detail oriented
• Ability to follow instruction
• Excellent communication skills
• Proven ability to think critically and operate from a place of sound judgment
• Ability to be responsible with data and adhere to strict privacy and confidentiality protocols
• Proactive with willingness to ask questions when unsure
• Must have a demonstrated commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion in past experiences or a commitment to do so as an hourly employee at VCU

• Assist in recruiting, screening, and tracking research study participants across qualitative and quantitative studies
• Conduct semi-structured Zoom interviews with adults who smoke cigarettes who are enrolled in a research study focused on nicotine health risk perceptions
• Use qualitative software to store, retrieve, and analyze data from qualitative interviews
• Participate in the design and analysis of online surveys designed to test candidate messages for a nicotine product educational intervention, including the use of statistical software to analyze survey data
• Participate in data collection and adhere to best practices regarding human subjects research for a pilot randomized controlled trial conducted among adults who smoke cigarettes
• Preparation of research reports and papers
• Meet with the research team regularly to maintain ongoing communication regarding the quality of the assistant’s performance
• Perform other related duties as required